Day 129 Thinking

April 17, 2015

(This is part
of a 365 project during my 70th year where I write and illustrate a blog on
each day's gift.)

Rodin's The Thinker at the Baltimore Museum of Art

A personal tour by a friend at the Baltimore Museum of Art throws a new
light on things. Too often, when I go to a museum, I focus on individual pieces
of art rather than examining the bigger picture. There’s nothing wrong with
this per se, except that seeing the bigger picture often throws more light on
individual pieces.

As tour guide, Scott Burkholder opened many questions and shifted perspectives.
What is the role of art museums? Obviously, they collect art and, as
custodians, are responsible for conserving their collections. If this is the
only role though, they could put all the art into a climate-controlled
building. Art museums are called to educate the public and to do this, many
heads come together to determine the best way to display art.

Today we saw the American Wing which has more than 800 paintings,
sculptures and decorative art. Instead of displaying each piece in isolation,
the American art is shown thematically. For example, one room is filled with
textile art. Another is called the Tiffany room. We were told that much thought
went into the best way to show the stained glass (from which side) and how to
light it. The final decision was use of an LED lighting system. Another room
shows fine art, decorative art and furniture all together in a setting typical
of an American room.

Before making decisions about display, art museums
must decide on whether they are about looking at things or about telling
stories. We do much the same thing in our lives. Do we see each day as independent
from the past and the future, or do we look at life as a narrative? I believe
art museums play a role in the narrative that connects today with the past and
the future.